Report: FBI Investigates Suffolk Police Chief in Beating of Smithtown Man

Suffolk County's Chief of Police James Burke is coming under fire for allegations that he punched a Smithtown man arrested on charges of breaking into a police cruiser.

The FBI has sent out more than a dozen subpoenas to more than a dozen Suffolk police officers, detectives and employees to appear before a federal grand jury, Newsday reports. 

Christopher Loeb, 26, of Smithtown, was arrested on Dec. 14, 2012 at his Smithtown home on charges of allegedly breaking into a police officer's cruiser to steal his gun belt, ammunition, and handcuffs. 

Loeb told family members that Burke punched in him the Fourth Precinct's squad room after his arrest. Loeb alleged while he was being processed that Burke ordered everyone to clear the squad room, except for himself and Loeb. 

The Smithtown resident wrote letters to his mother alleging that he was beat up at his home while being arrested and "even worse at the precinct." 

Police records place Burke at Loeb's home hours after his vehicle was broken into and while Loeb was being arrested, despite procedures that instruct otherwise, according to Newsday. 

Loeb does have a prior police record of several misdemeanor convictions for drugs, vehicle traffic law violations and attempted aggravated harassment.

Read more on Newsday [subscription required] of the FBI's investigation into Burke.